Funny Teaching Moments

To follow up on the serious aspects of teaching and what I wish more people understood, I wanted to share the funny side. Teaching, when you let yourself, can be fun. Students made me laugh all the time even if I had to keep in. Here are a few things that made me laugh while in the classroom (and teaching classes oftentimes did not prepare me for).

1.A student slapped my ass

Not on purpose. It wasn’t even what he was trying to do. He was swinging his arm while telling a story and just the way it all worked out BOOM! I was mortified but it didn’t come close to what he felt. I am pretty sure he is scarred for life if the look on his face was any indication.

He thought for sure I was going to write him up and he was going to be expelled for hitting a teacher plus he had the humiliation of slapping my ass.

I laughed nervously and said, “Never happened,” and I walked away. (Later, I died laughing and of embarrassment.)

2. A student told his friend, in a joking way, to do something inappropriate to his body

I heard it. I couldn’t unhear it. I still cringe when I think of it because it was quite grotesque. I remember my eyes bugged out of my head and my hand flew to my mouth in astonishment.

His face was scarlet red, sweat began to bead on his forehead, and he laid his head in shame on his desk. His friend, began violently, nervously laughing.

Tears sprang to my eyes because despite it being completely inappropriate, it was hilarious. It was truly, utterly funny. The tears formed when I had to muster all of my strength to not drop to the floor laughing. When I was able to speak, which admittedly took some time, I said, “Let’s just pretend you didn’t just say that. And please, never say that again.”

3. A student went to pretend kick someone, lost their balance, and fell over.

I could have been an adult and not laugh. That really was the right thing to do. But I laughed. I laughed hard. I laughed for minutes. When it was over I managed to ask, “Are you okay?” They replied they were. I laughed again. Class started late that day because I just couldn’t get a grip.

Some of you may be thinking that I scarred that student. Maybe I did but I doubt it. Sometimes things are just funny. I have done things that are embarrassing but still hilarious. This was one of those things.

4. I don’t even remember what was so funny. I just remember not being able to stop laughing.

Whatever it was, I remember it being peeing your pants funny. I had a chair in front of the classroom and I had to sit down or I may have lost control of my bladder. I laughed for minutes. The students laughed. Then the students laughed because I couldn’t stop laughing.

Minutes later I thought I could continue teaching. I stood up, pointed to whatever was on the board and it reminded me of what was funny and laughed again.

I did this again when I finally said, “Take five everyone,” and I went to my desk and had a snack as I looked at stuff on my phone. I had to completely remove myself from the situation in order to get a grip.

5. When students found pure joy in something small I usually laughed

I didn’t laugh at them, I laughed at the cuteness. I remember a few times when students were truly gleeful about finding just the right crayon for their project. They were in 10th grade and they were excited over crayons.

I remember when students discovered my really awesome pencil sharpener, a student who was going to use it was threatened by another student, “If you break it, we break you.”

We discussed women’s societal expectations in Victorian England. I read a few strange rules from a handbook written in the time period. One of the rules was that a woman wasn’t allowed to walk about a room at a ball without a male escort. Students thought that was weird. A student asked, “what would the woman do if she wanted to go get something to drink?” I answered that a proper lady at that time would probably wait.

The next day, that student waited at the bottom of the ramp to my trailer (loved teaching in a trailer and that is no joke) until I came to escort them into class. The bell had rung and he was just standing outside.

“What is he doing?” I asked the class.

“He’s waiting for you to escort him.”

I did. So funny.

6. When students become mini-you’s it is always funny

Students are so wasteful, especially with paper. In a school that did not provide paper, I REFUSED to let students be wasteful. I would freak out when they would crumple a piece of paper because they wrote their name in a way that wasn’t pleasing to them. I laughed hard the first time a student freaked out before I could and they said, “A tree didn’t die so you could do that!” (That’s what I always say.)

7. A student made a funny joke during my observation

It was completely appropriate, timed well, and my goodness was it funny. The whole class laughed. I laughed. I actually had to work hard to stop chuckling because I was being observed.

But most importantly, my principal laughed. He gave me a great compliment during our meeting about my observation that he really liked my classroom vibe. That was awesome.

I hope these little stories brought a smile to your face and reminded you of some of your funny student stories.